Display device

ABSTRACT

A display device includes vertical rectangular panels having vertical grooves along their side borders and vertically slotted tubes extending along the panel vertical edges with the edges of the tubes bordering the slots engaging the panel grooves. Connectors intercouple the panels at predetermined angles and include body members with two or more vertical bores having angularly related side openings, the bores snuggly engaging corresponding tubes, the respective panels borders registering with the connector side openings. A plurality of vertically spaced connectors may intercouple adjacent panels and the lower and upper connectors may be elongated and project below and above the panels to function as legs and connectors between upper and lower panels respectively.

United States Patent Forberg [451 May 2, 1972 [54] DISPLAY DEVICE Charles Forberg, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11201 22 Filed: Apr. 24, 1910 211 Appl.No.: 31,545

[ 72] Inventor: 115 State Street,

[52] US. Cl ..52/285, 52/238, 52/582 [51] Int. Cl. ..E04b 1/40, E0413 2/74 [58] Field of Search ..52/584, 585, 586, 281, 282,

52/238, 239; 46/3l, 30, 26, 21; 40/125 R, 125 D, 125 F, 125 H; 287/l89.36 D, 20.924, 20.925, 20.926, 20.927

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 798,309 8/1905 Voltz ..52/282 l,8l8,404 8/l93l Kaufman ....52/282 2,968,118 l/l96'l Paulson ..4 6/3l X 2,388,297 ll/1945 Slaughter ..52/586 Primary Examiner--John E. Murtagh Attorney-Stanley Wolder ABSTRACT A display device includes vertical rectangular panels having vertical grooves along their side borders and vertically slotted tubes extending along the panel vertical edges with the edges of the tubes bordering the slots engaging the panel grooves. Connectors intercouple the panels at predetermined angles and include body members with two or more vertical bores having angularly related side openings, the bores snuggly engaging corresponding tubes, the respective panels borders registering with the connector side openings. A plurality of vertically spaced connectors may intercouple adjacent panels and v the lower and upper connectors may be elongated and project 7 below and above the panels to function as legs and connectors between upper and lower panels respectively.

9 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEDMAY 2 m2 3,659,389

IN VENTOR.

CHrW- s FORBE-RCT 7 J%AM y The present invention relates generally to improvements in display and exhibition'devices and it relates more particularly to an improved self supporting separably connected multipanel modular display structure occupying a two dimensional area. I

It is a common practice in the display of many types of material for exhibition, information and dispensing purposes such as pictures, photographs, paintings, charts, posters, pamphlets and other articles to mount such material on vertically supported panels which are variously arranged over a two dimensional area. It is generally desirable that these panels be easily erected in the desired arrangement and that they be readily disassembled and the usual practice has been to employ a support frame work, conventionally formed of metal tubings to which the panels are mounted or to assemble fiberboard or plywood panels with a wood frame network. These conventional display structures, as well as other structures which have heretofore been proposed, possess numerous drawbacks and disadvantages. They are expensive, are time consuming to assemble, erect and disassemble, require a high degree of skill in their construction, are of little versatility and adaptability and otherwise leave much to be desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved display device.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved multipanel display device.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved modular multipanel display device which may be easily and rapidly assembled and erected in various arrangements.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a display device of the above nature characterized by its highly attractive appearance, low cost, reliability and high versatility and adaptability.

The above and other objects of the present invention will becomeapparent from a reading of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing which illustrates a preferred embodiment thereof.

In a sense the present invention contemplates the provision of a multipanel structure comprising a plurality of vertical panels having adjacent vertical edges and vertically extending shoulders spaced transversely inwardly from said edges and delineating therewith panel side borders, a longitudinally slotted tubular member engaging each of said channel borders and including a leg section bordering the longitudinal slot therein and registering with said panel inwardly of said shoulder, and a coupling member having vertical bores engaging said tubular members and side openings to said bores registering with said panels.

In the preferred form of the improved structure the panels are of rectangular configuration and have vertical grooves formed in opposite faces thereof proximate the panel vertical side edges. The slotted tubular members extend for substantially the full heights of the panels and the leg defining sections of the tubular members on opposite sides of the slots therein engage the panel grooves. The adjacent tubular members are interconnected by a plurality of vertically spaced coupling members which are advantageously formed of a resilient material and have at least two vertical coupling bores with angularly related side openings to connect the respective panels in angularly related positions. The coupling members may have three or more coupling bores and passageways to support the panels in angularly related as well as coplanar positions. The lowermost coupling members may be elongated and depend from the panel lower edges to define support legs and the uppermost coupling members may project above the panel upper edges and may engage the tubular members of additional panels located above and coplanar with the lower panels.

This improved panel structure is simple, rugged, reliable, inexpensive and of attractive appearance, is easy to erect and assemble in various arrangements, is easy to disassemble, and is highly versatile and adaptable.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of a panel assembly embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary front perspective view thereof taken along line 2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded fragmentary perspective view of a panel coupling assembly;

FIG. 4-is a top plan view of another form of coupling member; and

FIG. 5 is a front perspective view of a pair of coupled erected panel assemblies.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawing which illustrates preferred embodiments of the present invention, the reference numeral 10 generally designates an erected, assembled array of panels, embodying the present invention, the array including two separate single level sections, it being noted, that the panels may be assembled and erected in numerous arrangements and at single levels or in a multiple of levels, as will be hereinafter described. The assembled array 10 includes a plurality of vertical rectangular panels 11 interconnected by the improved coupling mechanism. The panels 11, although illustrated as being of the same height, may be of varying heights and of different widths.

Each panel 11 is advantageously of rectangular configuration having parallel vertical end faces or side edges 12. The panels 11 may be formed of any suitable preferably rigid material, for example, foamed or expanded synthetic organic polymeric materials, such as expanded polystyrene, polypropylene and the like, impregnated corrugated kraft board, tempered hardboard, plywood, sheets of synthetic organic polymeric materials, such as the acrylic materials and the like. Formed in the front and rear opposite faces of each panel 11 proximate to and equally spaced from side edges 12 are opposite vertical rectangular grooves or channels 13 parallel to edges 12 and having shoulder defining outer faces 14. Panel end faces 12 and proximate shoulders 14 delineate vertical rectangular coupling bars 16 connected by webs 17 to the main sections of panels 1 l.

Engaging and substantially coextensive with each of the coupling bars 16 is a tubular coupling member 18 having a vertical slot or slit 19 formed therein dividing the tubular member 18 into a pair of opposing legs 20. The tubular coupling members 18 are substantially coaxial with coupling bars 16 with the legs 20 engaging corresponding channels 13, the inside diameters of tubular members 18 being approximately equal to the diagonal dimension of coupling bars 16. The tubular members 18 are advantageously formed of a resilient material, for example extruded organic polymeric resins such as polystyrene, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyvinyl-chloride and the like, cardboard, metals or similar materials. In assembling tubular coupling members 18 and coupling bars 16, the tubular members 18 may be axially advanced along the bars 16 with the legs 20 sliding along channels 13 or the legs 20 may be spread and the bar 16 insert sideways into the tubular member 18 between the legs 20 which are then released into engagement with channels 13.

In order to connect the panels 11 in relatively coplanar and angularly related positions, correspondingly different connectors are provided depending on the number and angular relationship of the adjacent interconnected panels, the disposition of the connectors along the lengths of the panels, and the arrangement of two or more panels in vertical top to bottom relationship. Thus, in order to connect a pair of panels 11 at right angles to each other there are provided one or more intermediate connectors 21 between the tops and bottoms of the panels 11, a connector 22 coupling the bottoms of the panels,

and a connector 23 coupling the tops of the adjacent panels 1 1 as well as the lower corners of panels 9 which are positioned above and in coplanar vertical alignment with coupled lower panels 11.

The connectors 21, 22 and 23 are of substantially the same transverse cross section and differ from each other only in their lengths, the intermediate connectors 21 being relatively short or thin and the end connectors 22 and 23 being relatively long. The connectors 21, 22 and 23 are fonned of a resilient deformable material, for example, the synthetic organic polymeric resins such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride and the like and may be produced in any suitable manner such as by extrusion or mold- Each of the connectors '21, 22 and 23 includes a body member 24 having flat parallel top and bottom faces and rounded at their opposite side ends. A pair of laterally spaced longitudinal cylindrical bores 26 of a diameter approximately equal to the outside diameter of tubular members 18 is formed in body member 24. A pair of vertical slots 27 is formed in body member 24 symmetrical to the medial transverse axis thereof and extending horizontally at right angles to each other and providing communicating passageways between corresponding bores 26 and the outer end faces of body member 24. The opposing faces 28 of slots 27 are substantially parallel and are separated by a distance substantially equal to or slightly greater than the thickness of panels 11, and the outer borders of slot faces 28 may be bevelled or outwardly diverging to expedite the snap engagement between connectors 21, 22 and 23 and respective tubular members 18. The heights of the body members 24 of connectors 22 and 23'are greater than the height of that of connector 21.

In coupling a pair ofadjacent panels 11 assembled with tubular coupling members 18 in the mannerdescribed above, one or more vertically spaced connectors 21 are brought into mating engagement with the tubular coupling members 18 mounted on the adjacent vertical borders of right angle related adjacent panels 11, tubular members 18 engaging bores 24 and the slot faces 28 confronting or sandwiching the borders of panels 11 immediately inwardly of grooves 17. Connectors 21 thus lock tubular members 18 in closed position with legs 20 in tight engagement with grooves 17 to prevent the separation and detachment thereof and lock the coupled panels in a connected right angle position. The connectors 21 may be transversely applied to the respective tubular members 18 by positioning a slot 27 against a corresponding tubular member 18 and pressing the connector 21. transversely onto the tubular member 18, the tubular member beingaxially compressed and the slot faces 28 being separated by the spreading of the legs of the connector 21 bordering the slot 27, until the tubular member 18 passes the slot 27 into coaxial relationship with the bore 26 whereupon the tubular member 18 and connector 21 spring back to their normal or slightly stressed intercoupled positions as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. in the alternative, the connector 21 may be coupled to a tubular member 18 by inserting the tubular member lengthwise into a bore 26 and sliding the connector along the length of the tubular member 18 to its desired position.

The lower and upper connectors 22 and 23 are, except for their greater lengths, of the same construction as the connector 21 and are applied to the respective tubular members 18 in the same manner of the connector 21. However, the lower section of the bottom connector 22 depends below the bottoms of connected panels 11 and tubular members 18 and functions as a foot piece or support leg. Furthermore, the upper connector 23, may project above the upper edges of panels 11 and engage the lower parts of tubular members 18 carried by panels 9 mounted atop and coplanar with panels 11 and of the same construction as panels 11. It should be noted that the free vertical end edges of panels 11 may be engaged by tubular members 18 and connectors corresponding to connectors 21, 22 and 23 each of which may be provided with only one coupling bore.

In order to connect three panels 11, with two of the panels being in side by side coplanar position and the third panel being at right angles thereto, there are provided intennediate connector 32 and lower and upper connectors 33 and 34 which correspond to connectors 21, 22 and 23 and differ therefrom only in the provision of three vertical bores and respective passageways. Specifically, each connector 32, 33 and 34 includes a body member 36 of isoscolese triangular transverse cross-section with rounded corners, and having a vertical bore 37 formed therein proximate each corner. Passageway slots, corresponding to slots 27, are formed in body member 36 and provide communicating passageways between each bore 37 and a respective corner of body member 36, the passageways communicating with the base comers of the body member 36 being aligned and coplanar and the passageway communicating with the base apex being at right angles thereto. Except that the connectors 32, 33 and 34 couple three panels in coplanar and right angle relationship, their use and application are similar to those of connectors 21, 22 and 23.

Where it is desired to couple four panels 1 1 in mutual right angle relationship radiating from a common vertical axis, intermediate and end connectors 38, 39 and 40 respectively are employed which are similar to the connectors earlier described except that they are provided with four bores and passageways. Each connector includes a body member 41 of square transverse cross section with vertical bores 42 formed therein proximate the vertical corners of the body member 41. A passageway defining slot extends from each of the bores 42 and the adjacent corner of body member 40 and these slots are at right angles to each other and correspond to slots 27. The connectors 38, 39 and 40 are employed in the manner of connectors 21, 22 and 23.

While there have been described and illustrated preferred embodiments of the present invention, it is apparent that numerous alterations, omissions and additions may be made without departing from the spirit thereof.

I claim:

1. A multipanel structure comprising a plurality of vertical panels having adjacent vertical edges and vertically extending shoulders spaced transversely inwardly from said edges and delineating therewith panel side borders, a longitudinally slotted tubular member engaging each of said channel borders and including a leg section bordering the longitudinal slot therein and registering with said panel inwardly of said shoulder, and a coupling member formed of resilient material and having vertical bores engaging said tubular members and side openings communicating with said bores and registering with said panels, and in the unstressed condition of said coupling member the inside diameters of said bores being less than the outside diameters of said tubular members.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said panels have vertically extending grooves formed therein, the faces of said grooves proximate said panel vertical borders defining said vertically extending shoulders, said tubular member legs engaging said grooves.

3. The structure of claim 1 wherein said panels have vertically extending grooves formed therein formed in opposite faces thereof and substantially equidistant from corresponding edges of said panels, the faces of said grooves proximate said panel vertical borders defining said vertically extending shoulders, the opposite legs of said tubular member engaging corresponding grooves.

4. The structure of claim 1 wherein said coupling member side openings are of widths approximately equal to the thicknesses of said panels and define passageways which restrict the angular movement between said coupling member and said panels.

5. The structure of claim 4 wherein said passageways and said panels are angularly related.

6. A multipanel structure comprising a plurality of vertical panels having adjacent vertical edges and having vertically ex tending grooves formed therein in opposite faces thereof and substantially equidistant from corresponding edges of said panels the faces of said grooves proximate said panel vertical edges defining vertically extending shoulders delineating with said vertical edges panel side borders, a longitudinally slotted tubular member engaging each of said panel borders and including opposite leg sections bordering the longitudinal slot therein and engaging corresponding panel grooves, and a plurality of vertically spaced coupling members having vertical bores engaging said tubular members and having side openings communicating with said bores and registering with said panels.

7. The structure of claim 6 wherein the lowermost of said coupling members depends below the bottom edges of said panels and defines a support leg.

8. The structure of claim 6 including coplanar upper and lower panels including vertically axially aligned, tubular members engaging said panels, and a coupling member having vertical bores engaging said axially aligned tubular members of upper and lower and adjacent panels.

9. A multipanel structure comprising three vertical panels having adjacent vertical edges and vertically extending shoulders spaced transversely inwardly from said edges and delineating therewith panel side borders, a longitudinally slotted tubular member engaging each of said channel borders and including a leg section bordering the longitudinal slot therein and registering with said panel inwardly of said shoulder, and a coupling member having formed therein three vertical bores engaging corresponding tubular members and having side openings communicating with said bores and registering with said panels and being of widths approximately equal to the thicknesses of said panels and defining passageways which restrict the angular movement between said coupling member and said panels, said panels radiating from said coupling member and at least two of said panels being angularly related. 

1. A multipanel structure comprising a plurality of vertical panels having adjacent vertical edges and vertically extending shoulders spaced transversely inwardly from said edges and delineating therewith panel side borders, a longitudinally slotted tubular member engaging each of said channel borders and including a leg section bordering the longitudinal slot therein and registering with said panel inwardly of said shoulder, and a coupling member formed of resilient material and having vertical bores engaging said tubular members and side openings communicating with said bores and registEring with said panels, and in the unstressed condition of said coupling member the inside diameters of said bores being less than the outside diameters of said tubular members.
 2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said panels have vertically extending grooves formed therein, the faces of said grooves proximate said panel vertical borders defining said vertically extending shoulders, said tubular member legs engaging said grooves.
 3. The structure of claim 1 wherein said panels have vertically extending grooves formed therein formed in opposite faces thereof and substantially equidistant from corresponding edges of said panels, the faces of said grooves proximate said panel vertical borders defining said vertically extending shoulders, the opposite legs of said tubular member engaging corresponding grooves.
 4. The structure of claim 1 wherein said coupling member side openings are of widths approximately equal to the thicknesses of said panels and define passageways which restrict the angular movement between said coupling member and said panels.
 5. The structure of claim 4 wherein said passageways and said panels are angularly related.
 6. A multipanel structure comprising a plurality of vertical panels having adjacent vertical edges and having vertically extending grooves formed therein in opposite faces thereof and substantially equidistant from corresponding edges of said panels the faces of said grooves proximate said panel vertical edges defining vertically extending shoulders delineating with said vertical edges panel side borders, a longitudinally slotted tubular member engaging each of said panel borders and including opposite leg sections bordering the longitudinal slot therein and engaging corresponding panel grooves, and a plurality of vertically spaced coupling members having vertical bores engaging said tubular members and having side openings communicating with said bores and registering with said panels.
 7. The structure of claim 6 wherein the lowermost of said coupling members depends below the bottom edges of said panels and defines a support leg.
 8. The structure of claim 6 including coplanar upper and lower panels including vertically axially aligned, tubular members engaging said panels, and a coupling member having vertical bores engaging said axially aligned tubular members of upper and lower and adjacent panels.
 9. A multipanel structure comprising three vertical panels having adjacent vertical edges and vertically extending shoulders spaced transversely inwardly from said edges and delineating therewith panel side borders, a longitudinally slotted tubular member engaging each of said channel borders and including a leg section bordering the longitudinal slot therein and registering with said panel inwardly of said shoulder, and a coupling member having formed therein three vertical bores engaging corresponding tubular members and having side openings communicating with said bores and registering with said panels and being of widths approximately equal to the thicknesses of said panels and defining passageways which restrict the angular movement between said coupling member and said panels, said panels radiating from said coupling member and at least two of said panels being angularly related. 